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Corps settles in with the friendly Nez Perce Series on Web site

June 3, 2006 2:19 am

C HOPUNNISH CAMP near present-day Kamiah, Ida- ho: "Chopunnish" was Lewis and Clark's name for the Nez Perce. One speculation of the source is that it was an adulteration of the Salish (tribe's) name for Nez Perce, which meant "those people who live to the south."

The Nez Perce were about 4,000 people and had the largest horse herds in the area. It was not unusual for an individual to have his own herd of 80 to 100 horses. Not only were they expert horseback riders, they were also excellent horse breeders who perfected the Appaloosa breed.

The Nez Perce were being continually attacked by the Black Feet and Atsina, who were better armed. In dealing with the captains, they initially agreed to go to Washington if the Americans could deliver arms to them.

On prompting from the captains, the Nez Perce did agree to make peace with the Shoshoni. They agreed only because they had recently killed a number of Shoshoni in revenge for the Shoshoni having killed a peace party they had sent to work out a treaty.

From the Journals, week of May 15, 1806

MAY 15: "Strengthened our little fortification with pine poles and brush the party formed themselves very comfortable tents with willow poles and grass in the form of an orning of a wagon, these made perfectly secure as well from sun as from rain. we had a bower constructed under which we set by day sleep under part of an old sail now our only tent " --Capt. Lewis

MAY 16: "A little after dark [Pvt. George] Shannon and [Pvt. Francois Labiche] Labuish returned with one deer; they informed us that game was wild and scarce, that a large creek ran parallel with the river at the distance of 5-6 miles beyond this creek the Indians inform us that there is a great abundance of game " --Capt. Lewis

MAY 17: "My chronometer [watch] which for greater security I have worn in my fob [watch pocket] for ten days past, got wet last night; it seemed a little extraordinary that every part of my breechies which were under my head, should have escaped the moisture except the fob opened it nearly filled with water drained wiped set her to going " --Capt. Lewis

MAY 18: "Twelve hunters turned out this morning [Pvt. John] Potts and [Pvt. Joseph] Whitehouse accompanied [Pvt. John] Collins to the bear he had killed on the 16th our Indian woman was busily engaged in laying in a store of fennel roots for the Rocky mountains the natives erected a lodge on the opposite side of the river to be in readiness for the salmon " --Capt. Lewis

MAY 19: " sent [Touissiant] Charbono, [Pvt. John] Thompson, [Pvt. John] Potts, [Pvt. Hugh] Hall and [Pvt. Peter] Wiser over the river to a village above in order to purchase some roots to eat with our lean bear meat sent Joseph and R. Fields up the river is surch of the horse which I rode over the Rocky mountains last fall. he had been seen yesterday has become almost wild Fields returned with my horse; we had him castrated " --Capt. Lewis

MAY 20: "It rained the greater part of last night and continued this morning until noon when it cleared away the about an hour and rained at intervals until 4 in the evening. our covering so indifferent that Capt C. and myself lay in water the greater part of last night " --Capt. Lewis

MAY 21: "Today we divided the remnant of our store of merchandize among our party with a view that each should purchase therewith a parsel of roots and bread from the natives as his stores for the rocky mountains for there seems but little probability that we shall be enabled to make any dryed meat for that purpose." --Capt. Clark

NEXT WEEK: Pompy, Capt. Clark's affectionate name for Sacagawea's son, becomes ill.

NOTE: The Lewis and Clark Exploratory Center in Charlottesville has a 55-foot full-scale keelboat on its property in Darden Towe Park off State Route 20 northeast of Charlottesville (Stony Point Road) adjacent to the Rivanna River. It has also embarked on a fundraising campaign to create a hands-on center for children of all ages to participate in Lewis and Clark's adventures. Every third Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon a boat-building workshop is being held next to the keelboat barn. For details, visit lewisandclarkeast.org.